


Let me be happy about it

by LadyBee



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Halloween, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Robb is dead, thanks giving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-19 06:22:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8193532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBee/pseuds/LadyBee
Summary: It was a drabble and I decided to extend it a bit.He turned his body to face her. He expected for a wild dirty face, short messy hair, scratched knees and arms. What he found was wild dark beauty, with her hair falling over the left shoulder. Around her neck a string with he thought to be Robb’s ID, like a token of affection or maybe a way to keep the memory of her heroic brother alive. That was something she would do and that was something that most would call cruelty.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to "Lake Song" by The Decembrists while reading.

He walked down the road as he used to do since infancy, but this time it felt like an ethereal experience…As if he was just a ghost haunting the path were once he had walked with his fellows and friends. His pockets full with regrets and guilt. In many ways war makes you wonder what sort of force controls and rules the universe. Who says who should die and who should live, especially when they had been all young and fresh with the excitement of fighting for their country?

He walked down the road anyway. His heart aching with the memory of his best friend...He would never see Robb again, with snow melting in his hair and the easy smiles girls were so fond of. He had tried to write Ned and Cat a letter to tell them how sorry he was, but what comfort would it bring? It wouldn’t bring their son back. It wouldn’t make a change in all the tragedy of it.

And still he walked down the road looking for a sign, a chance to start over or at least to call that damn city home again. He stopped by the Stark’s gate and looked at the old mansion with a pang in his heart. In so many ways it was just like he remembered. The gardens were full with flowers in bloom. A courtesy of spring and yet his heart felt like a never ending winter.

He waited at the gates for a glimpse of Robb’s red hair and Theon’s smirk as they talked about some pretty girl. He heard the angry voice of a child and then Cat’s ever reasonable voice trying to calm down the kid. He also heard the dogs barking at the backyard and music coming from inside…A piano playing a sad tune.

Jon thought about crossing the gate to ring the doorbell and pay his condolences to the family, but the place seemed untouched by grief and for a second he wished he could stay there just for a little while. Maybe he would fall asleep and when he opened his eyes everything would be just like it was before.

“Jon?” A voice half startled half dazzled called his name almost in a whisper. It was familiar and welcome like the smell of black berries tart and lemon cakes. His heart jumped, as if trying to beat again after a long period of slumber.

He turned his body to face her. He expected for a wild dirty face, short messy hair, scratched knees and arms. What he found was wild dark beauty, with her hair falling over the left shoulder. Around her neck a string with he thought to be Robb’s ID, like a token of affection or maybe a way to keep the memory of her heroic brother alive. That was something she would do and that was something that most would call cruelty.

“Hey, girl.” He said as he tried to flash a smile at her, but what a poor thing it was. She let her bag fall to the ground with all the groceries and run to him like the wild spirit she was.

Jon opened his arms to receive her like a blessing. Her arms surrounded him with warmth and acceptance he never thought he deserved. She smelled of shampoo, berries and home. How old was she now? She had been fourteen when he left and she had made him promise he would come back in one piece.

“I knew you would come back.” She whispered while still hugging him.

Was it the reason why he managed it? He remembered hearing her voice when he was shot. Arya commanding him to stay alive, calling his name as his life hanged on the balance. Her fierce and demanding nature dragging him back to conscience when he was at the hospital. Was it the reason? Was her will that strong or was it the sound of her laugh what gave him strength to keep fighting?

“I promised I would, didn’t I?” It was the only thing he could answer to her.

Haven’t Robb made her the same promise? Wasn’t it disrespectful of him to say that he kept his promise unlike her brother, as if he was better at keeping promises when in fact he was just a lucky bastard that shouldn’t be there, standing in front of her and daring to be alive when her brother would never make it back home? Jon just hugged Arya tighter, maybe because she seemed just as lively and pure as he remembered, and she smelled of youth and home.

“I’ve missed you.” They both said it together as they used to and Jon simply couldn’t resist the temptation of running his burned fingers through the mane of her dark brown hair.

Arya smiled at him and he felt as if washed clean by the fresh rain of summer, even if her eyes were surrounded by dark circles and something inside them seemed a bit lifeless, just like his own.

“Were you with him?” She finally asked. “Did he suffer?”

“I wasn’t…” Jon barely managed to speak those words. “They told me he didn’t suffer much. An immediate death…” He took a deep breath and felt his lungs burning. “I’m so sorry, girl.”

She wiped away a stubborn tear and gave his arm a light punch.

“It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could do.” She answered before putting a respectable distance between them to gather her things. Arya forced herself to smile at him once she straightened her back. “I’m glad you are back. At least allow me to be happy about you being back to us. Robb would like it.”

He didn’t fight her in this. He couldn’t. Arya gave a step forward and opened the gate. She looked at him with a stubborn smile.

“Come in. Mother have made blue berry tart and I may have a good whiskey hidden somewhere.” She said proud of her rebel nature.

“Since when you like whiskey?” He asked as he took the bag from her hand to help her with the groceries.

“It has been a while. I needed something to get me through this shit.” She answered plainly as they walked together toward the entrance.

She opened the door and Jon could smell the tarts and fresh flowers from the garden as Arya looked at him.

“Welcome home.” She said and for a second he allowed that warmth to fill him, along with the growing need of kissing her lips just because Arya was this wild force of nature, enduring loss and still smiling at him. She looked like home.

She remained at the door, tempting him to overcome his fears and once more enter that house. He wanted to. God knows he wanted it more than anything along with a glass of lemonade and probably a piece of cake, but he wasn’t strong enough to do it.

“Maybe another day.” He said sadly. “I have other things to do now, but…I’ll be in town for a while. You should come visit me some time.” He suggested with his head down in a sign of embarrassment that was unfamiliar for both of them.

She remained silent for a few seconds, as if judging if she was offended or not by his behavior. Whatever she had decided, Arya wouldn’t insist on inviting him in.

“We won’t bite you, Jon.” She answered sadly. “I hope you know that.” He took a deep breath as he felt a pang on his side, maybe one of his wounds.

“I’m just not ready yet.” Arya nod quietly at his answer.

“Are you staying at the old house?” She asked instead.

“Yes. It doesn’t make much sense to stay anywhere else now that I own the damn place. It needs repairs, though.” He pointed awkwardly.

“It surely does.” Arya snorted. “I’ll pay you a visit some time. Do you want me to tell father you are in town or will you surprise him eventually?”

“Do what you want. It’s not as if the whole town wasn’t talking already about my arrival.” He sighed.

“This is what you get for becoming a war hero. You’ll have plenty of attention.” Arya teased him sadly.

“I wish I could escape it.” It was the truth, but Arya gave him a skeptical look.

“There was a time in which you wanted to be a hero. Maybe that thing about being careful of what you desire might be true after all.” Arya pointed before flashing him a smile.

It was odd how much he wanted to hold her in his arms and never let her go. He had dreamed so many times about coming back to his loved ones that it didn’t feel real. The way Arya would pull back her dark hair and how she bit her bottom lip made her look ethereal to him. He just wanted to hold her again to make sure he wasn’t dreaming and she wouldn’t vanish.

“I guess I should go.” He said shyly. “Come visit me whenever you want. God knows I could use some company.”

“Same to you. I would like to think that we are still your family, you know.” Arya said with a smile. “Besides, it would be nice for Rickard to know his godfather. I’m running out of imagination to come up with stories about your adventures with his father.”

“Does Ricky know who I am?” Jon asked in a bit of a surprise. Jeyne had been pregnant when he and Robb were sent to war.

“Of course he does. He knows he has an Uncle Jon somewhere and he is super cool. I guess he thinks that you are something like Spiderman, but maybe I can convince him that you are more like Batman so he won’t think you to be scary with your broody mood.” That made him smile. The thought of that boy he had seen only in pictures calling him Uncle Jon. For a second he wondered if he was anything like Robb. “I’ll try to bring him when I drop by the old house. I babysit for Jeyne every now and then.”

“I would like that. Just call me first so I can have at least something prepared to entertain him.” Jon answered with a broad smile this time…He would love that. He would love to be a good uncle to Robb’s boy if nothing else.

“You have a fucking lake in your property. I guess this is enough entertainment for a kid. I can take him for a swim. Maybe fishing.” Arya laughed at it. “I can take a basket and we can have a picnic.”

Before he could realize there were tears in his eyes. The thought of such happiness came along with the inevitable pain of guilty. He shouldn’t be alive…He had nothing! No one to go back to, while Robb had a kid he didn’t know, a girlfriend and a whole family waiting for him back home. He felt so ashamed of being there, in front of his friend’s house as if he was somehow better or more deserving.

Jon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get a grip over his overwhelming feelings. He felt her fingertips brushing the skin of his face. Her touch was soothing and yet sinful. Most men came back sick with rage and violent moods. He somehow has managed to become a fucking cry baby, but he couldn’t help it. He simply couldn’t.

“I don’t think Robb would want you to be so hard on yourself.” Arya said sharply. “Now you show me some respect and look at me.” He obeyed, just to face her properly. Her face was too close as she caressed his cheek in an intimate and foreign way. “You survived and it’s not our place to question why. You got a second chance of doing something with your life and how many people we know that can afford having a fresh start like this? Live, Jon. You own Robb this much. If you need someone to talk to…I guess we could work something out. At least we could put this…feelings to good use. We could put some walls down inside that damn house, since you want to redecorate.”

He found no answers to give her, not even a sight to offer. Arya being brave wasn’t exactly something new. She had always been a reckless and fierce sample of youth, but at that point in their lives they had something terrible in common. They had lost someone dear and they looked at each other just to face the same feeling of emptiness. She carried it with a stubborn strength he admired. Arya had always been the brave and the strong one, ready to help anyone back to their feet even when she could barely stand on her own.

“Thank you.” He finally said brokenly. She nodded quietly for a second.

“Just…Just let me be glad for seeing you back. Let me be happy about you being home again, ok?” She insisted and he kissed her forehead in answer. He had never felt so thankful in his entirely life.

“Thank you for being here.” He said brokenly. “It wouldn’t feel like home without you.”

Arya didn’t say a thing. She moved away from him with a hint of embarrassment and Jon stood there, just watching her enter her house slightly fascinated by the way Arya had made him feel welcome and content after all those month of silent grieve. It was probably too soon to make decisions that sounded so drastic, but he wouldn’t mind staying in town for a while. Thanks to Arya it still felt a bit like home.


	2. Chapter 2

He had kept himself busy at his father’s old house, trying to repair the place to its former glory before deciding if he would sell it or if Jon would remain in town and keep the damn place. Arya would constantly say that it would be a pity to let a house as beautiful as the old plantation to rot, but Jon had little affection for those red bricks and white French windows. They only reminded him that he had never been welcome.

She would come to visit every now and then after school, riding her bicycle down the road for no apparent reason but checking on him and the progress he was making with the house. She had promised him she would visit and Jon caught himself waiting for her every afternoon like a boy waiting for Christmas.

Although he loved her predictable visits, there was one thing that would never fail to make him upset. Arya would never enter the house, no matter what. It made him feel just like he used to whenever his father was near. It didn’t felt like a home back then and Arya’s careful distance would only remind him of why it had been so. The unspoken taboo about his parents and how the house had been a source of scandal to be avoided by everyone in the town.

If tolerating her careful behavior was the only way to have Arya visiting every now and then, he decided it was something he could live with.

When the weather helped, they would walk together to the small lake inside his propriety where they would sit and talk while smoking a few cheap cigarettes and drinking either ice tea or whiskey. In those occasions Jon almost could forget that only a few months ago his best friend was still alive and they were both fighting a pointless war.

He cherished those days of summer, especially because Arya would often forget about propriety and take off her clothes to reveal her swimming suit before jumping on the lake with a joyous laugh. Jon couldn’t help smiling whenever looking at her, with her wet hair and waiving at him so he would join her. That summer almost made him want to stay forever, but once Arya went back home the lack of perspective would plague him again.

Autumn came along with its chilly weather and Arya’s visits got scarce during the season. She would come though, bringing him sweets and cakes he never knew she could prepare.

On Halloween she showed up at his door dressed like a witch and for a while Jon tried to figure out what she was plotting. Arya just smiled at him and threw a back with what he concluded to be his costume.

“What’s this all about?” Jon asked her trying hard not to laugh.

“Shut up and get dressed. You’ll help me with something important. Don’t make questions, just get dressed.” She commanded and as usual Jon obeyed.

Jon came out of the house dressed like something he thought to be a vampire. It was probably the worst Halloween costume ever and Arya’s face just confirmed it. Even when she was dressed in a bad costume herself, his vanity couldn’t tolerate the idea of being ridiculous, at least not in front of her.

“It’s not entirely bad. I guess you just need a bit of fake blood and dark shadows under your eyes to highlight your natural ones.” She said before grabbing some makeup inside her back to apply on his face. He didn’t even try to fight her, because to fight Arya Stark was a pretty pointless thing to do. She admired her work and smiled at him proudly. “Now you look perfect.”

“Where are we going?” He asked as she pulled him to his car.

“Just don’t make questions. I’ll give you the directions.” Arya answered bluntly as they got inside his car.

Arya had a way of turning everything into a harmless adventure and that was probably what he loved the most about her. She would never fail to make him smile and think of brighter days even when most of her ideas would end up with him looking stupid.

For a while the thought that to be the case. Another childish adventure to keep his mind away from war and even the thoughts of going away again. The town was more vivid that night, with pumpkin lanterns, ghosts and monsters everywhere. At least those ghost wouldn’t keep him awake at night.

It was only when they arrived in colonial house in the suburb that Jon realized where she had taken him.

“What are we doing here?” Jon asked soberly. “Please, Arya…Don’t.”

“Jeyne asked me for a favor and I thought you could have some fun for a change.” She cut him short. “She is out. I’m just picking him with his babysitter so we can take him to pick some candies with the other kids. We will have to bring him back before 9 p.m.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Jon sighted.

“You liked the idea of being nice Uncle Jon a few months ago. Robb wanted you for his godfather. You know that. Everybody knows that, and yet you haven’t found the courage to visit Ricky since you arrived, so I’m setting things right and he will love his dumbass godfather for taking him to pick candies and let him be sugar high for the first time.”

Arya answered him in a way that left no room for debate or discussion. He remained there for a while, feeling scared of a boy no older than four and utterly paralyzed by the idea of facing a young version of his best friend.

“I hate you.” He sighted in a grumpy tone.

“No, you don’t.” Arya laughed before giving his cheek a kiss that unleashed some sort of chaos inside him. Not the disastrous kind of chaos he had faced during the war…No. It was something like the collision of energies creating something mighty and new. He couldn’t help smiling at her with his fake sharp teeth.

“Let’s go before I change my mind.”

Arya rang the doorbell and after a few seconds a very old lady opened the door, allowing a little boy to come out running like a lightening to hug Arya’s legs. Jon knew the woman. She had been babysitting for the entire town since he was a child. They called her Old Nan for her age and heavy British accent.

“He wouldn’t sit still. This young man was just too anxious to go out with his aunt.” The lady said before turning her attentions to Jon. She smiled at him fondly. “It’s really nice to see you around again. Look at you…Such a handsome man you became, Jon.”

“Thank you, Old Nan.” Jon answered awkwardly. It was amazing that the woman was still alive and taking care of little children.

“He must be back before 9 p.m.” She recommended. “God knows he won’t sleep, but Jeyne will be upset if he isn’t here when she gets home.”

“We won’t be late. Goodnight to you, Nan.” Arya replied the old lady before picking the boy in her arms and spin him around to make him laugh. “Who’s gonna pick all the candies?!”

“I WILL!” Ricky answered with a laugh.

“Who’s the scariest monster in town?!” Arya asked again.

“I AM!” The boy answered again.

“Show me a scary face!” Arya commanded and Jon finally could see the boys face, with his auburn hair pulled back with gel and make up to make him look pale. His costume matched Jon’s and his bright blue eyes were full of excitement as he made a scary face to fright his aunt. “No one in town will sleep tonight after seeing you.”

“Who’s this?” Ricky finally looked at Jon with curiosity. Arya smiled at him before kissing his cheek.

“Remember I told you I would bring someone special to help us?” Ricky nodded. “This is Jon, Ricky. Your uncle Jon.”

At first Jon thought it would be a disaster as Ricky would remain hidden from his sight behind Arya’s legs. He remained that way, but it was just for a while. Two blocks later and the boy were all talkative and soon he found a way to include Jon on his games.

In no time at all Jon found himself carrying Rickard on his shoulders as the boy pretended to be a flying vampire and then Batman with a laser gun and tentacles. Logic was overrated to them, especially when Arya started to play along fueling her nephew’s head with all sort of stories. Jon found himself smiling and chatting about robots and sea monsters with Ricky and by the end of the night Robb’s son had already invited his uncle Jon to his birthday, even though he didn’t know the date for sure.

Ricky laughed, played and picked candies to the point of exhaustion. When the time for them to take the boy home arrived, Ricky was soundly asleep in Jon’s arms.

They took him to his house and put Ricky to bed before biding Old Nan goodnight. Jeyne would be disappointed for not being able to hear to her son’s reports about the night, but there would always be tomorrow.

Jon and Arya entered the car again and for a long while they followed the road in absolute silence. The night had been just too perfect to be disturbed by words that weren’t necessary.

“He is a nice kid.” Jon finally said. “He looks like Robb.”

“Ricky is great and he even showed you our secret hand shake. That makes you pretty special.” Arya said with a smile. “Really, Jon. He loved you. With Sansa and Bran out to college it’s hard to find anyone here to connect him with his father. Jeyne does her best, along with mom and dad. I try to help as much as I can, but…He needs someone he can admire. Someone to go to when he is afraid, or simply wants to learn how to fly a kite.”

“Doesn’t he have best kite engineering as his aunt?” Jon asked while smiling at her.

“One day he will understand that girls can be just as good as boys, but right now he needs someone he can relate to. A hero, if you must.” Arya pointed. “You are the closest he will ever get to his father.”

“That’s why you brought me.” Jon concluded sadly. “This is a hell of a responsibility, Arya. I’m not sure if it’s safe for him to be around me.”

“I think he is pretty safe around you. If you are safe around him is another matter entirely.” Arya replied calmly. “You are terrified of allowing people to get into your life again.”

“You would be terrified to.” Jon answered as he stopped the car in front of his house. “What the f…”He realized too late that he should have taken her back to her house. “I’m sorry, Arya. I got distracted. I’ll take you home.”

“It doesn’t have to be right now. It’s early still. “She answered mindlessly.

“Will you enter this time?” The answer came out a bit more bitter than he intended.

“It depends, I guess.” She said carefully.

“On what?”

“Are you willing to let me in, or should I just observe you from a safe distance as you try to find a way to disconnect from this world?” She asked sharply.

Jon was silent for a while and the air between them became thick with tension and some sort of thrill. It felt like unexplored land as his hand flirted with the possibility of touching hers. The point was what would happen if Arya ever got too close. Would she runaway or would she hurt him even more? He liked her company and, with God as his witness, what he felt could even be more than that…That was scary. Terrifying.

“Come. I guess I have some whiskey inside.” He answered. Whatever damage Arya could make, Jon would allow himself that one act of blunt bravery. He would allow his heart to be happy about it, even if only for a few hours.

Once they got inside the house Jon cleaned his face and fetched a towel for Arya to clean her makeup while she observed the place for the first time with curious eyes. He couldn’t blame her. The old house was quite impressive, even without the proper repairs.

“What will you do with this place?” She asked him before Jon could give her a glass with whiskey.

“I don’t know yet. This house is just too big for me. I thought about selling the place before I…” Suddenly he stopped. Maybe that was a conversation for another time.

“Before what?” Arya insisted.

“Major Mormont, my former superior, he…He offered me a position at the DC. He thinks I could make a career in the military as an officer.” Jon said calmly.

“So you will shut us off.” Arya completed with her voice full of resentment.

“I haven’t given him an answer yet.” Jon tried to fix the situation, but it was plain enough that she was hurt.

“You would be a fool if you didn’t accept.” Arya growled. “I just don’t understand why you even bothered to come back! You should have gone straight to DC and ignored us. At least it wouldn’t be so cruel.”

“Says the girl who carries my best friend’s dog tags around her neck!” He snapped back out of anger and regretted immediately every word.

“He was my brother, Jon.” Arya answered pained. “You were not the only one to lose someone you loved in combat. I carry his tags around my neck to remember myself to be brave and strong as he was. One day, when Ricky is old enough to understand, I’ll give them to him and explain what they mean. He lost his father, Jeyne lost the man she loved, mom and dad lost a son and yet you are acting as if you are the only one who is suffering because of his death.”

“What exactly did I have to come back to?” Jon asked tired. “I have this house. My parents are dead and that’s it. No kids, no girlfriend, no best friend. This town doesn’t mean much to me anymore and I just came back because I thought I owned at least a visit to Robb’s family.”

“And yet I’ve been the only one you to talk to. My father has been waiting for you to show up to watch some football and have a beer since he learned you were in town. Bran asked me if you would be here for Thanks Giving so he can meet you. Even my mother is concerned that you haven’t visited.” Arya pointed furiously. “You like to pretend that no one cares about you, but perhaps you don’t want anyone to.”

She had tears in her eyes as she drunk the whiskey in one gulp. Her hands were shaking and Jon could see how furious she was with him. To a certain degree he knew he was being selfish and coward to consider the job when it was so obvious she was making a titanic effort to force him to connect with those he loved once more, but…Even looking at Arya was painful sometimes, especially when he wanted to hug her, or kiss her. Robb’s voice would never fail to reproach Jon in his mind.

_She is my sister, you dumbass! Don’t even think about it!_

“I should have died in his place.” Jon finally confessed, making Arya look at him out of shock and anger. “I nearly died anyway. Robb had a life here, with Jeyne and Ricky. I don’t…I don’t know why I survived the shooting and I can’t help feeling guilty whenever I stand in front of your house, or whenever I play with Ricky, because I feel as if I was taking his rightful place. How can I face Ned and Cat? How can I face Jeyne? Even looking at you feels like I was dishonoring his memory somehow.”

“I have no idea why, but I guess I should give up understanding you.” She answered sourly. “It’s not as if it would make you connect with people again.”

“Robb was never at ease with the fact that I was your friend.” Jon pointed and for a second the thought of it felt bittersweet. Friends…Was it really what they were? Was it really what he wanted them to be? “I never told him about my promise to you because I was afraid of being misunderstood.”

“I don’t see why it would bother him. It’s clear that I’m not much of a friend to you. You said so yourself just a few minutes ago.” Arya snapped back angrily. “It was a silly promise made to a silly girl while she was waving you goodbye.”

For a while they remained silent and a flash of that day came back to Jon’s mind. He remembered her hugging him the day he left to service, dressed in his new uniform. Her stubborn voice demanding him to promise he would come back to her in one piece. Then her voice calling his name while he was waiting for medical aid in the middle of the desert as his conscience drifted away.

“I kept hearing your voice in my head…” Jon said shyly. “After the shooting. Your voice…Kept me alive, so I guess I had to come back for you as well. Robb would punch me for this.”

“And yet I’m not enough reason for you to stay.” Arya said with utter disappointment.

His heart felt like a drum and for a second Jon nearly suffocated with words unsaid. Arya was there, languidly resting against the fireplace, demanding him to have courage to live again. He was no longer in the desert sand bleeding from his wounds, and yet her voice was still demanding him to come back to life, to come back home and live.

He wanted to. Gods! He wanted to live again and be happy without the weight of guilt and sorrow! There she was! Looking at him with eyes full of indignation and fierce defiance, as if happiness had been made flesh just to temp him and take him from his self imposed torment. He just had to raise his hand and touch.

“I came back for you, didn’t I?” He questioned as he approached her with careful steps. “Give me one reason to stay, Arya.”

They stood there, near the fireplace and still dressed in Halloween costumes, in utter silence and tension. Their bodies close and yet never touching, in some kind of cold war they seemed too afraid of fighting. Jon could hear her heavy breath and smell the whiskey on it.

“If you haven’t found a reason to stay until now, then maybe you should go.” She replied in a whisper.

“Maybe I have found, but I’m just too afraid of waking up one day just to find out it was just another feverish illusion.” He answered lowly. “Am I alive, Arya?”

His hand reached for her nape, bringing Arya’s face close to his but in the end it was her to make the final move. Her lips clashed against his in a clumsy and avid way as if Arya wanted to take everything at once from him, while Jon wanted to take the time to savor the moment.

 _She’s my sister!_ _Get your fucking hands out of her, Snow!_

He could hear Robb’s voice in the back of his mind and it made him stop for a second, while still holding her face carefully as Arya tried to recover her breath. She smelled of whiskey, candies and home. She tasted of happiness long forgotten and it felt so good that it almost hurt.

“Do you feel alive now?” She asked breathlessly as she pressed her hand against his chest to feel his heart beating.

“Yes…”He answered carefully while rubbing his nose on hers. “And…This time I want to be.”

Jon kissed her again and this time he didn’t allow Arya to rush. His arms embraced her. His rough hand lost in the mane of her dark brown hair as Arya’s fingernails scratched his torso. She would never have patience about intimacy. Arya was never interested in slow burn passion as her hands demonstrated how desperate she was to take off his cloths.

In another time he would have succumbed to her thirty nature. In another life he would have acted just like a teenager full of hormones to burn, but if he was going to hell anyway why not taking the time to enjoy his trip?

Jon allowed her to take off the costume’s cloak and shirt, leaving him only with his pants before he could take Arya in his arm to carry her upstairs in bridal style. He never hurried about it and she was clearly annoyed by his calculated behavior. That only served to highlight the age gap between them. She had barely left her teens while he felt more like an old man than anything else.

He sat her on his bed and carefully removed the bodice of her costume, kissing her shoulders and neck as the fabric reveled her skin. Arya blindly unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants, leaving him on his boxers.

She had all the hurry of youth in her gestures. Arya wanted to take her pleasure and be done with it while Jon wanted something else. He wanted a reason to stay. Maybe a reason to come back to life, even when he knew it was cruel to give Arya such responsibility.

He kissed her mouth again as he gently laid her on his bed. His hands roamed over her soft and warm body, trying to mold and adjust to her needs. Arya broke the kiss briefly just to notice the scars spread all over his body. She hesitated for a second and he couldn’t blame her. He should have died from those wounds and yet Jon was still breathing. Arya kissed a few scars with tenderness and after that she gave up trying to hurry.

“Do they hurt?” She asked breathlessly under him. Jon kissed the base of her neck hard, just to make her moan.

“Sometimes.” He answered heavily.

“Do they hurt now?” Another broken question, only this time he couldn’t help smiling at it as he looked briefly into her eyes.

“No.” Just to kiss her again after.

Jon parted her legs as he kissed her from neck to belly. His hands would never get tired of the softness of her skin, as his ears would never get tired of the sound of her moans and small cries of pleasure. He removed the last pieces of her costume before placing her legs over his shoulders just to kiss her sex.

Her breath seemed stuck in her lungs as his tongue tasted her lips, slowly stimulating her clit. Her legs’ muscles answered immediately as one of her hands grabbed the sheets on the bed and the other the hair on his nape.

Arya’s body arched as he sucked and licked her senseless. At that point he was more man than ghost. More animal than human, if he was going to be honest about it. A primal kind of satisfaction would raise at her every moan of pleasure as her legs kept his ears warm.

There was no desert, no sun, or flag covered coffins to drag him back to his mortality and tragedy. There was only Arya and her strangled voice calling his name as she came in his mouth. Robb would probably be divided between blushing and kicking Jon on his cock for doing such things to her. Well…Only one of them was dead and there was no reason to not enjoy the world while he was still breathing.

Guilty would pay him a visit later, but while Arya was there with her legs spread and ready to receive him Jon wouldn’t disappoint her.

He kissed her mouth again and again as Arya answered his caresses with tenderness and no reservations. Her fingertips massaging his scalp, her teeth biting his earlobe playfully…Their legs entwined as their foreplay evolved from playful teasing to something more feral.

Jon entered her with a quick move, making her gasp for air at the sudden intrusion. She welcomed him inside her. He looked in her eyes before his hips started moving slowly. There was something poetic about her facial expression, or maybe he had been in avoiding intimacy for so long that he started to confound eroticism with poetry.

Arya tightened her legs around his waist and with a bit of insistent from her part she managed to make him switch positions. Jon found himself laid with his back flat on his bed as she sat on top of him. He wanted to kiss her until dawn and to make her call his name once both of them reach their climax.

Jon sat on the just to reach her mouth and help Arya to receive him fully inside her. She embraced him as her hips dictated the rhythm. Her nails tracing red marks on his back as she felt the orgasm approaching.

Arya threw her head back, making her neck too inviting to be ignored. Jon kissed her necks and shoulders while holding her tightly when her muscles started to contract. Pleasure came at last for both of them.

Jon held her in his arms as the effects of the orgasm dissipated and both of them tried to recover their breath. Eventually they lay on bed, still clinging to each other as if they were afraid of letting go of the feeling of fulfillment.

It was funny to think that Halloween was supposedly the night in which the line that divided this world as the next became blurred and ghosts would come to visit. He had been plagued by ghosts for months, but that night he felt protected. He felt safe and alive while he listened to Arya’s breath and heartbeat.

“Do you think Ricky would like to have a picnic here?” Jon asked her lazily before kissing her shoulder.

“He would love it. I guess I should be jealous…You’ll become his new best friend.” Arya replied with a hint of humor.

“Can I ask you something?” Jon tested her just to make sure Arya wouldn’t be resistant to more personal questions.

“Go on.” She said.

“Sansa and Bran have gone to college and you are too bright to not being admitted.” Jon sighed. “What are you doing here still, Arya?”

For a second she remained silent and Jon could feel the tension in her.

“I couldn’t leave my parents alone. Not after Robb’s death.” She said sadly. “We have all gone through so many losses that I couldn’t picture myself leaving and as Ricky grew up…Well, I wanted to be a good aunt. Besides…I promised you and Robb I would be here when you come back. I’ve kept my promise.”

“I never wanted to hold you back.” Jon whispered. “It isn’t fair.”

“I wanted to wait. That was my choice and mine alone.” Arya insisted. “I just…I just never thought only one of you would come back. As I never thought I would be in your bed one day.”

“Liar.” He teased. “I guess Robb noticed before we did. Let’s be honest. We have been touching the edges and flirting with the possibility since forever.”

“That makes you the old pervert.” She gave him a cocky smile.

“What happens next?” Jon asked seriously.

“I guess it depends on how you’ll deal with your feelings about it. I know what I want, Jon. I’ve known it for a long time now, but can you live with everything that comes attached to me? All the guilt you feel about Robb’s death, my family and everything you were trying to avoid and run from?”

“A part of me died in the desert. The man I was…That stupid boy who dreamed of becoming a hero…He no longer exist. I’m some sort of deficient creature now. You are the only thing left of that man. You are probably the best part of what I was. Robb would hate me for being with his baby sister. Ned certainly will hate me for getting near his little girl.” Jon kissed her lightly. “But I don’t want to let go of the only person that makes me want to live. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if there'll be a third chapter or not. That's up to you, guys.  
> Song: The Wrong Year, by The Decemberists.  
> Reviews are highly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suggested soundtrack "All For A Woman" by Airborne Toxic Event.

He looked at the clock again. The damn thing was broken, or at least that was the only plausible reason why the time hasn’t passed at all. It had felt like a century, and yet there he was. Doctor Tyrell would look at him patiently, waiting for him to open up his heart and reveal all the tragic things he had suffered in war. Maybe something terrible about his past or whatever that was that psychiatrist expected to hear from a patient.

“So…You are Sansa’s boyfriend?” Jon asked awkwardly. Willas took some noted before putting down the notebook to look at Jon properly.

“Yes.” The answer was minimalist. “Does it bother you?”

Jon snorted. What sort of question was that?

“Why would it bother me?” Sansa had always been something like a landscape or a decoration to the Starks’ house. They had never really been friends and Jon was certain she was constantly annoyed by his presence when he was a more frequent guest.

“That’s for you to tell me.” Willas pointed with a discreet smile. “She is Robb’s sister. It would be comprehensible if you didn’t feel comfortable talking to me about what happened.”

“I don’t even know why I’m here. This is quite enough to make me uncomfortable.” Jon answered sharply.

“I can recommend you to another college, if you like…” Doctor Tyrell said calmly. “Before I can do that, I need you to answer at least one question. Why are you here, Jon?”

He wanted to punch the wall before he could give an answer. It had been Arya all along. She had been insisting on the matter for weeks after she realized how bad his nightmares were. She managed to get Willas telephone and make an appointment. That was it. That was all of it.

“My girlfriend made the appointment, not me.” Jon answered grumpily.

“So…You are Arya’s boyfriend.” Willas seemed surprised.

“Do you know her?” Jon asked carefully.

“Well, I have dinner at the Starks’ every now and then. Of course I know her.” Willas muffled a laugh at it. “Look, I guess I’m too close to the whole family for this therapy to work for you, but we can talk as friends. Everything you say here is protected by law anyway, just like any other patient, but I’m not your doctor. I’m just the guy that dates you girlfriend’s sister and eventually we will find ourselves in awkward family dinners together, so…”Willas seemed more relaxed while he checked his pockets for what Jon recognized as an electronic cigarette. He gave it a drag before looking at it an annoyed face. “This is lame, I know. I’m trying to quite the real thing. Sansa doesn’t like the smell.”

“Cat never liked the smell of smoke on her house. She claims the children were all allergic to it.” Jon pointed mindlessly. “I guess that’s why Arya picked my cigarettes when she was younger.”

“Do you smoke?” Willas asked mindlessly.

“No. I used to, but…I guess it’s the one thing I must agree with Cat. The smell is nasty.” Jon said. “My father used to smoke…Cigars, not cigarettes.”

“Did Robb smoke?” Willas asked.

“No. That was my vice, not his.” Jon answered while avoiding Willas eyes. “What’s the point of all this?” Willas smiled at him in a way that reminded Jon of the Cheshire Cat.

“You are perceptive and direct. I like this.” Willas pointed with enthusiasm. “Let’s say that I’m trying to be your friend, but I’m also trying to help you with your problems.”

“I have no problems to solve. I’m as happy as a man can be.” Jon tried to stay cool and act as if he didn’t care a bit about what Willas thought. “Arya makes me happy even when she insists on thinking otherwise.”

“Jon, I see guys like you entering this place every day.” Willas said sharply. “You are direct and I’ll be direct with you in return. You don’t sleep and when you do the nightmares scare the hell out of you. You live isolated. You get anxious whenever you think about facing Robb’s family even when you believe they can make you happy. You feel guilty all the time and often asks why you got a medal for bravery in the first place. Even when you say that Arya makes you happy, and I believe she does, this happiness is tainted by something else. Am I forgetting about anything?”

That hit him like a punch in the guts. It was a pretty accurate description of everything he felt since he came back home. For a while he thought being with Arya was enough to keep him sane, but the later nightmares were getting too real to ignore.

“Did Arya tell you this?” He questioned Willas skeptically and he gave him a sympathetic look instead.

“She didn’t have to.” He said. “I have treated patients like you before and I have been a patient with PTSD myself.” Jon had ignored the cane resting by the coffee table when he entered the office. Now that made sense.

“Where was it?” Jon asked carefully.

“Afghanistan. The medical unit got attacked and my leg was crashed by a block of concrete. Most of my colleges died that day, but I came back with a useless leg.” Willas said soberly.

“Do you think you are ready to help other to overcome the experience?” Jon inquired.

“No fucking way.” Willas laughed without humor. “It’s a daily work, like trying to quit any vice. It’s a hell of a thing to fight against, but I found out that it makes me less of a doctor and more of a friend to my patients. It’s easier to open up to someone who knows and respects what you are feeling. I’m under control. I don’t have dreams any longer and my life is pretty good, but I know I’ll never be the same man I was before that bomb. My medical education at least made me realize I had a huge problem and just because it’s in my head it doesn’t mean it’s not real. The same goes to you.” Willas wrote something on his notebook before giving him a card with another doctor’s number. “Oberyn is a college. You can contact him to start you treatment if you don’t feel comfortable with my proximity with the Starks. I’ll insist on the matter though. I know Arya and she hasn’t been that happy in a while. I believe you have something to do with it and I intend to become her brother-in-law soon enough, so…I would be damn glad if you made an effort to keep Sansa’s sister happy.”

“Are you going to propose?” Jon asked, suddenly feeling sympathy for the doctor. Those were good news for sure.

“A man must be brave from time to time. I hope I’ll see you in Thanks Giving. Let’s hope I’ll have the courage to propose her until there so we can make an announcement.” Willa said with enthusiasm and Jon felt uneasy for a second.

“I don’t know if I’ll be there. Arya wants me to, but…The truth is that nobody knows we are dating.” Jon pointed carefully. “I’m not sure how the Starks will receive the news.”

“Well…You are someone highly respected, for everything that I’ve seen so far. I don’t see why you dating Arya would be a problem unless it’s a problem to you.” Willas added calmly. “Is it a problem?”

Jon considered that question for a second and all the times Robb’s voice sounded just too clear on his mind came back to him. Every time Jon kissed her mouth and all the occasions he had taken Ricky to swim with them. Robb’s ghost had been there all along, looking at him with bitterness and anger for all the treason of those acts. Jon closed his eyes for a second and sighed.

“She is Robb’s baby sister.” Jon shrank his shoulders. “We…We grew up together, you know? I was the one to teach her how to ride a bicycle and to climb trees when we were kids. For a long while I saw her as a sister and I guess Robb thought just like this. I’m already taking everything, am I not? His kid, his family and…Boy, I don’t see how he would ever accept me dating her.”

“You love her, though.” There was no question on it. Willas had been incisive about his observation and Jon just nodded in an agreement.

“God knows since when.” To say that was a bittersweet confession. “Now that I think of it…I have always been on the verge of falling for her. Arya has always been exactly the kind of girl that would catch my eyes. Robb and I…We had a discussion about it before…You know. Before we presented to service.”

“What was this discussion all about?” Willas asked mindlessly.

“I was dating someone at the time. Ygritte was her name. Robb pointed that she had a bit of a temper and mocked her for it and at some point I said she reminded me of Arya.” Jon sighed. “Robb wouldn’t talk to me for the following week and when he decided to talk he was very incisive about it. He said he didn’t want me near his sister. Arya was…I don’t know. Maybe sixteen, or less? I had never looked at her with curiosity or anything of the sort, but since that day…”

“It was as if Robb had painted her in red so you couldn’t ignore her presence.” Willas concluded perfectly. “It happens with incredible frequency. Sometimes we are the last ones to realize our feelings.”

“That means I’ve always been half in love with her, doesn’t it? How twisted is it? It should feel like dating my own sister.” Jon growled angrily and Willas nodded in disagreement.

“Not really.” He said. “Jon, the fact that you had Robb as a friend, or that you considered him as a brother, doesn’t mean that you were actually brothers. You liked him, I get it. You have a great deal of respect for his family and this is great, but…Jon, you came back home and found the girl you always had a thing for all grown up. Both of you are adults and single so there’s literally no reason why you shouldn’t have a relationship with her.”

“Then why I feel as if I were betraying my best friend?” Jon asked out of frustration.

“Do you really think Robb would oppose to you?” Willas insisted. “I never knew the guy, but he was your friend. He named you as his son’s godfather, which implies that he wanted you to be Ricky’s paternal figure in the case of his absence. It shows that Robb trusted your character. He trusted you deeply. Why wouldn’t he agree with you being Arya’s boyfriend? Unless you are really despicable with women in general, I don’t see the point. Besides…It’s quite reasonable that you came back to the one person that connected you with the man you were before the war.”

…….

He looked down at his feet for the third time. Once more he was in front of the Starks’ house trying to summon up the courage to enter it. He could hear the sound of all the voices coming from the house and that made him nervous. If it wasn’t for Arya’s insistence he would never had dared to approach the house again. It was Thanks Giving after all and Willas kept saying it would be a good idea.

Jon rang the doorbell and waited nervously for someone to open the door. He had expected for Arya to come, but to his utter surprise it had been Ned the one to came and greet him.

“I was wondering when you would show up, boy.” Ned’s voice sounded heavy and genuinely pleased. “It was about damn time.”

“I’m sorry for not coming earlier.” Jon said awkwardly while offering his hand to greet Ned properly.

Ned ignored propriety and even his usual guarded demeanor to give Jon a tight hug. That was something that Jon never really expected, but it felt good to be welcomed in such a warm way.

“We’ve missed you, boy.” Ned said heavily. “We’ve missed you a lot.”

“UNCLE JON!” Ricky’s voice shouted in excitement and the next thing Jon noticed was that his legs had been hugged by a very happy toddler that was mimicking his grandfather.

Ned let go of Jon and smiled awkwardly at the sight of Ricky.

“Hey, buddy!” Jon said before picking the boy in his arms to throw him in the air, making him laugh out loud. “You’re getting heavy to fly!”

“I am not!” Ricky protested.

“No more Halloween candies to you!” Jon threatened him.

“Now Ricky, why don’t you let Uncle Jon to come inside?” Ned suggested. “Call your grandma and your aunts and tell them Uncle Jon is here, will you?”

Ricky nodded as Jon put him down. Soon the boy vanished inside the house, shouting for everyone to hear.

“He wouldn’t stop asking about you.” Ned pointed with a half smile. “I was very pleased to know that you have been spending time with him. Robb would like that.”

That made him feel uneasy again. _There’s plenty that he wouldn’t like a single bit._ His mind insisted on saying.

“I hope so. I’m…I’m sorry for not coming earlier. I wasn’t ready to face you and Mrs. Stark.”  His voice came out heavy. “It’s not fair, you know. Robb deserved to be here. I wish I could have done something to…Something to help him.”

Ned eyes got watery at that and he patted Jon back lightly as they walked into the living room.

“There was nothing you could do, Jon.” Mr. Stark said calmly. “When I received the news…God! That was the worst day of my life. I wish it was me on his place. It’s not…It’s not natural for a father to bury his son.” His voice was pained and it was plain enough that Ned was trying hard not to cry. “You two grew up together and…Oh Jon, I prayed that you would come back to us. I couldn’t tolerate the idea of losing my two boys.”

“Arya kept saying that you were waiting for me to show up for a beer and football games.” Jon pointed with an awkward smile.

“I was actually mad that the only one you have been talking to is my daughter. I know Arya have always followed you around since she learned how to walk, but I expected a little more consideration from you.”

“It’s a good thing that Arya is that stubborn. She would drag me here eventually if she had to.” Jon pointed.

“That’s my girl.” Ned said with a proud smirk. “Care for a drink?”

“Why not? Beer, please.”

“About damn time!” Jon heard another masculine voice from upstairs. Bran came down to greet him.

He got tall and slender, with a scholar look about him. A handsome young man of twenty something and finally out of the awkward teens. They hugged each other and Jon realized that he never had so much physical contact with the Starks before. Well…Except for Arya.

“You look great, Bran. How’s college?” Jon asked cheerfully.

“Stressful but I like it very much. I’m dating my roomy’s sister, which is awkward most of the time. I think Jojen will try to kill me in my sleep if I ever make his sister cry, but…Well. I made my life far more complicated than it needed to be.” At least Jon wasn’t the only one with such a propensity.

Soon they were all engaged in a light and pleasant conversation. It felt like the old days and sometimes it wasn’t difficult to hear the sound of Robb’s voice laughing at a particularly funny anecdote. If he closed his eyes, Jon could easily picture his best friend there, sit and having a drink with his family while Ricky tried to play with his Uncle Jon’s hair that was getting too long.

Sansa and Cat finally came in bringing the food to the table. That wasn’t a meeting Jon particularly waited for. Catelyn Stark surely wasn’t ready to see him again after such a long time. Jon always had the feeling that Mrs. Stark wasn’t much fond of him. She was polite, though. If his presence in her house was a problem she would never let it show while he was there.

Sansa proudly shown him the engagement ring on her hand and said her fiancé should be there any time now. She also made sure that he knew that Willas was never late, and something important might have happened to justify his delay.

Arya was the last one to show up. She had been out picking Jeyne at her work. Robb’s widow came to hug him and say that Ricky wouldn’t stop talking about everything his Uncle Jon had shown him in the next weeks.

“I’m glad to see you guys getting along so well. I wish you would had stayed for a drink or something. I keep telling Arya that she must make you stay some day so Ricky can show you all of his toys.” Jeyne said kindly.

“Same to you. I guess I’ll have to repay the kindness sometime, so why don’t we celebrate Christmas at the old house?” Jon suggested. “I’ll have it ready until there and that place is terribly big. I could do with some company.”

“I think that’s a great idea.” Arya pointed with a huge smile playing on her face. “You should see what he’s doing with the place. It’s gorgeous.”

“Will you live there on your own? Isn’t it too big?” Cat asked politely. “Such a huge space certainly could be used in some kind a business. Events; maybe a bed and breakfast.”

“I have been thinking about it, but…I don’t know yet. I might want to start my own family in the near future.” Jon said it almost absently as he watched Arya twist her hair in a loose bun at the back of her head. She gave him a curious and nervous look that made him realize what he had just said.

“Well, that’s what I call a noble purpose.” Ned said pleased. “I hope you bring the lucky girl here for us to meet and give our approval.” Bran snorted at that and Jon could see Arya giving him a punch in the arm. Well…That couldn’t get any more embarrassing, could it?

The doorbell rang, saving them from the whole situation Jon had created. Willas came in bringing a bottle of whiskey and begging forgiveness for his delay. Sansa made sure to introduce him to Jon with a proud smile on her face.

“It a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, especially from this young fellow here.” He said while messing with Ricky’s hair.

“I understand congratulations are in order.” Jon said while giving his hand a shake. “You are a lucky man.”

“Indeed I am. Margaery sends her love to you, darling.” He said turning to Sansa, looking at her as if he was seeing an angel.

“It’s a pity she couldn’t come. I’m sure Jon could use good company.”

“I’m sure we are more than enough to keep Jon entertained.” Arya cut in, obviously annoyed. “Can we eat now? I’m starving here!”

“Now that’s a good idea.” Bran jumped from his sit to lead the way to the dining room.

The rest of the evening was quite pleasant. Arya took the place by his side and it felt strange to keep his hands to himself while they were with her family. They had agreed that it wasn’t the time to make announcements especially because they weren’t sure of what was going on between them. So far it was sex and long conversations.

The only person he had dared to speak about his relationship had been Willas and probably just because he was sure nothing he said inside that office could come out. He had called Arya his girlfriend and as the evening went on Jon realized he wanted all the Starks to know what was going on between them.

After diner he could help admiring how Willas and Sansa sat together by the fireplace, holding hands and looking like a couple from a TV show. They were making plans for the future and a life together while Jon could barely think about what he would do with his life in a few months. He just knew that he wasn’t kidding when he mentioned that he was considering start a family of his own.

Eventually it got too late and Jon decided to go back to his home. He bid the Starks farewell and insisted on the invitation to celebrate Christimas in the old house. As he walked toward his car Jon listened to hurried steps coming after him. He stopped and looked back just to face Arya coming his way.

“Hey.” She called unsure. “How do you feel?”

There was no surprise in her concerns. Jon had been aware of her efforts to make him connect with those he loved, and he would be a fool to think that Arya wouldn’t be worried the whole time during dinner.

“It was better than I expected.” He said with satisfied smile. His heart felt light for the first time in a while. “I nearly forgot how much I love your family.”

“Well, they have missed you. I’m glad that you came.” Arya said with a light smile on her lips.

“Will you come over tonight?” Jon asked her as his hand tried to reach hers.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She said nervously. “After your visit…It will make them suspicious.”

“They’ll find out eventually. It’s not as if we could keep it a secret forever.” Jon answered mindlessly.

“I thought you didn’t want them to know.” Arya pointed. “What you said earlier…About starting a family of your own. What was that all about?”

He considered for a moment if it would be wise to elaborate what at the time sounded like a perfectly logical idea. It was too soon to talk about long term relationships and building a family, but that had came out of his mouth in a moment of nostalgia and mindless happiness. He wanted to have hope, though. He wanted to come home and find a wife and kids every day, instead of an empty old house.

“A thought for another time.” He said soberly. “You don’t have to worry. I…Let us just enjoy what we have for now. We can discuss long term plans when you feel up to it.”

“So you are considering to stay?” Arya asked cautiously.

“I thought that was clear by now.” Jon answered sharply. “I have responsibilities here and…Maybe I want to see what will be of us. I mean…It’s not as if you haven’t made room to you in my life.”

“You don’t sound entirely pleased with it.” Arya insisted. “Should I leave you alone?”

“I think you don’t understand.” Jon sighed. “I…I just realized one thing that I should have noticed a long time ago. I’m in love with you, Arya. God knows since when, but I just realized how hopelessly in love with you I am.  I inherited a fucking house and the only reason I’m keeping it is because I hope one day I’ll have something like you have here. A family. Someone to go back to, a couple of kids running around and making noise. I have no idea if that’s what you want too, but this is what I have to offer and you are the only person I can see by my side in this picture.”

“What exactly are you asking of me?” Arya questioned in exasperation.

“Come live with me, or…Let’s make it official already. I’ve spent years fighting a war and I saw my life slipping through my fingers. Life is too short to be wasted.” He said fervently. “I don’t want to waste anymore time when I know you are the one.”

“There’s no way in hell that I’m playing along with this madness.” Arya snapped back. “If you are indeed proposing to me than you better get on your fucking knees and ask for the privilege like any decent man would do. The fact that you know me since I were in my dippers won’t grant you any privileges, stupid.”

“Oh Sansa will be mad at us.” Jon said with an incredulous smile on his face.

“I don’t care a single bit.” Arya answered stubbornly and before she could noticed his movements Jon took her in his arms and kissed her fervently.

“Will you marry me?” He asked between a kiss and another.

“Of course I will!” She answered with a bright smile.

Jon looked over her shoulders for a second and what he saw was a bunch of Starks looking at them as if they were watching the most thrilling movie ever. They haven’t realized what an spectacular show they have made of that scene until they heard Bran and Ned shouting at them together.

“About damn time!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...That's it! I hope you have enjoyed the fic. It has been a pleasure to write it.  
> Reviews are appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are appreciated. I hope you'll like it.


End file.
